American hornbeam ground layer

[Lazylightningny]

Is it too late to start a ground layer on a hornbeam?

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Never too late, if roots don't form by autumn, just leave the wrap in place, it will root sometime the following year. I personally have not done hornbeam, but I have done several JBP, and in my climate they took 24 months to root. Wintered them the same way I always do.

 

[Lazylightningny]

Never too late, if roots don't form by autumn, just leave the wrap in place, it will root sometime the following year. I personally have not done hornbeam, but I have done several JBP, and in my climate they took 24 months to root. Wintered them the same way I always do.

Thank you. I would expect hornbeam would layer faster than jbp. I plan on layering them in the ground, so I can just mound up some dirt or mulch for winter protection.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

Yep, don't worry about winter. Mulch sounds like the right amount of protection.

But you might be lucky, they may root before autumn.

 

[Lazylightningny]

Yep, don't worry about winter. Mulch sounds like the right amount of protection.

But you might be lucky, they may root before autumn.

thanks again

 

[Tieball]

I have not done a ground layer on a Hornbeam. However, I have done a ground layer on a Maple (a basic backyard Maple, not a Japanese Maple). I just boxed the tree in...sides only, no bottom or top. The box, made of 1x4 wood, about 10 x 12, sat right on the ground. Filled the box with soil after cutting a good sized ring around the tree. I used aged bark chips and Turface. Mostly Turface. It worked for me...and it’s what I had on hand when I was inspired to do the ground layer. I watered the tree like I would regularly do. It worked very well. I started the ground layer in late June. It grew some roots well by autumn. But I was hungry for more roots...and I was uncertain of the disconnect and root disturbance just before winter. I left everything in place over winter and just covered the ground area and box with wood chips I had nearby. Worked very well over my winter. I didn’t take everything apart until the next late spring (I knew there were roots growing well after I dislodged some soil).